The Queen Is Dead + Ingmar Bergman

Queen Elizabeth II dying brings a nation to its core---for the moment, no more arguing about Brexit or Boris. For the time being, the focus is on the nation's history and what it means to be British, with a connection to the thousands of years that have gone before. (Immigrants---you're welcome into the fold if you make an effort to understand what exactly it is you're now a part of. Same goes for immigrants into the US.)

I've also been watching numerous Ingmar Berman films via Netflix. At first out of intellectual curiosity, and then because every single film I've watched so far made me feel cleansed in some way. I actually wept (much harder than "cried") at the end of "The Virgin Spring," and I haven't either wept or cried in ages. In the past few weeks, I've seen the following Bergman films:

Port of Call
Summer Interlude
Summer with Monika
The Seventh Seal
Wild Strawberries
The Magician
The Virgin Spring
Winter Light

After watching "Winter Light," I finally broke down and just bought the whole 39-film Bergman Criterion Collection set from Amazon.

Between the spiritual QEII coverage of the death and coffin cortege on the BBC, and the spirit of the Bergman films exploring both death and faith... I feel much better, and lighter, than I've felt in years.

Though I've usually enjoyed being a "news junkie," I'm now trying to avoid news stations, just trying to stick to the BBC and the ongoing coffin procession for the time being. All is pure for the time being. (A feeling to remember, and seek, for the future.)